Hey guys not new the the Dodge forum, but recently stepped up to a Ram after selling my 170k Rust/Black '96 Dakota. (Been on the Gen 1 dak area)

So anyways I now have a '98 Ram 1500 White/Grayish From Arizona (No rust!) and a 360/Auto.

Drove great when I bought it out by my grandmas place out there, used it to drive around the valley when I was visiting, then drove it back to Chicago. In july.

Noticed about 3 weeks back (In chicago) that it wouldnt start until the volt meter creeped up. Would creep from about 10-11 ish to I'd say 13/14, then fire.

Then I replaced the terminals after it would do it more and more often over the next week. Seemed like the problem went away. Charging fine, reading 14 on the meter while driving.

Flash forward to yesterday, I noticed it did the thing where it would Half crank, then click, just once, not click-click-click fast like a low battery. Then it just would click once and not do anything (A solenoid click)

Got a jump after work (15 hour day) Then it started, drove over to the store up the highway about 4 miles, got a new battery, went out the truck, and it fired right up .

Went home and installed the new battery (Since the old one was a 9 year old NAPA that was too small) and have the same problems. Sometimes it will click once, sometimes it will half crank then click, and for the last 3 hours of trouble shooting, it will fire right up. Headlights are strong, all accesories work etc.

Where else do I look?

Sorry for the long post fellas, and i hope to get some pics of the truck up when this is figured out.

Thanks in advance yall!

George

 

Starter maybe?

 

check to see if all the terminals are tight and have a good ground

 

I thought maybe the starter, but it seems like its odd with the voltage issue, if you leave the key in the on position, th volts will rise and it usually will eventually start.

Angelo, it has new terminals, and the grounds were cleaned.


George

 

Solenoid might be getting weak, and as the voltage comes up, it yanks it harder, so the contacts in there actually work as advertised. Go to your local parts store, and have them do a starter draw test. (if they will.....)

 

Thanks for the replies guys.

Hey You: I will have to check it out then. I just find it odd because for the last day it is firing right up.

Could it be an ignition switch problem perhaps?

I'm taking it over to my friend who has a shop in the next few days, so we can brainstorm, and test everything.

 

the switch just trips a relay, which in turn sends power to the solenoid. A poor connection at any of them, will give you some strange symptoms. Low voltage conditions will usually show a weaking solenoid, or dirty contacts at the solenoid. Relatively easy system to test. IF you can get it to do it's trick WHILE you are checking. Otherwise, you are just barking into the wind.

Draw test may or may not show anything interesting.

 

So much fun! I'm glad this truck is so nice otherwise. Its a little bit of a hair puller.


So it did it again today but I got it to start by just continuousy turning the key back and forth. It would just single click everytime, then it fired.

You say to check and clean the solenoid connections?

George

 

Make sure the fat wire going to the solenoid on the starter is clean and tight. Otherwise, sounds like it might be time for a new starter.